Abstract

In this study, we aimed to determine the success rate of primary human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) treatment in undescended testicles, and to evaluate clinical characteristics influencing this success.

Sixty three boys with undescended testicle located within and beyond the inguinal canal, without ectopic testicle, apparent hernia, history of previous surgery at the groin were included to the study. The testicles at the upper scrotum that could not be exactly brought down to the bottom of the scrotum were described as retractile; the testicles within the inguinal canal as true undescended testicles. The boys were treated with hCG, 500-1500 IU/dose twice weekly for 6 weeks. Scrotal palpation of the testicles was taken as treatment success. Unresponsive cases were treated with surgery. The characteristics evaluated (age, retractile/true undescended and uni/bilateral) were analyzed with Mann-Whitney U, chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests.

The mean age of the patients was 4.83 (2-11). Of 63 subjects, 26 (41%) responded to hCG. successfully. The median age of the responsive group was 4.5, that of the unresponsive group was 4 (p>0.229). The success rate in patients with unilateral pathology was 24% (7/29), that in patients with bilateral one was 56% (19/34) (p=0.020). Hormonal therapy was found to be successful in 18 of 51 cases with true undecided testicle (35%), while in 8 of 12 with retractile testicle (67%) (p=0.058).

According to our results, due to the high response rate, it has been concluded that hCH. treatment can be primarily used in suspected retractile or undescended testicles located at beyond the external inguinal ring, in particularly bilateral pathologies before orchiopexy.